Requirements for the achievement of a WACE Certificate (“secondary graduation”)
The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA)
sets the criteria for the achievement of a WACE Certificate.
The criteria are given below, with additional notes in italics.
The minimum requirements to receive a WACE (i.e. to
‘graduate’ from Year 12) are listed below.
1. Demonstrate minimum standards of literacy and
numeracy (from NAPLAN or OLNA testing).
2. Complete a minimum of 20 units or equivalent.
(Each subject is two units, so this means five subjects
in Year 11 and five subjects in Year 12. At Guildford
Grammar School all our Year 11 students study six
subjects and are therefore able to drop one of these in
Year 12 if they choose to.)
Completion of a certificate is no longer compulsory for
students choosing a General pathway.
Breadth and depth
Students must complete a minimum of 20 course units
including at least:
3. A minimum of ten Year 12 units or the equivalent
(this means five subjects in Year 12)
4. Two completed Year 11 English units and one pair
of completed Year 12 English units (this means
completing English in both Year 11 and Year 12)
5. One pair of Year 12 course units from each of List A
(Arts/English/Languages/Social Sciences) and List B
(Mathematics/Science/Technology)
Achievement standard
6. Students are required to achieve 14 C grades in
Year 11 and Year 12 units combined (each subject
gives two grades). At least six C grades must be in
Year 12 units. At Guildford Grammar School, choosing
a Certificate course will replace one of the subject
choices in Year 11.
7. A Certificate II or higher provides the equivalent of
two Year 11 and two Year 12 units, regardless of
when it is completed.
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